Service writer job

HiTempguy wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote: Been doing this since 1986. There's the downside that's already been covered. The upside is that there can be very good money in this without being a crook.

Sounds to me at the end of the day the $/h doesn't make jt a worthwile business to be in. You should get paid well if you have to work 60 hours a week, even if your "hourly" rate is crap!

Hours do NOT automatically equate someone gets paid big bucks.

The money in this business is completely dependent on what someone puts into it, has nothing to do with azzhole customers etc. I know people who get yelled at every bit as much as me who don't make near as much and also put in very nearly the hours, sometimes more.

I work 7:30-6 M-F and 7:30-4 every third weekend. I turned down a ~$60k (not including OT and FWIW I will probably break that number this year) job with Michelin down here because the schedule I would work would have meant NO time with my daughter, I would have been sleeping or working. I don't have to fly out of town on little or no notice. My boss is decent, I get to take time off to go play with my racecar.

I have gotten to where I prefer commission because I can directly control my income, I am not dependent on some yoyo in an office somewhere playing te 'let's see how low he can be paid before he bolts' game. I don't own the place and I am not management which means I don't get 2AM phone calls about alarms or pissed off customers.

Pissed off customers? So what? I have seen servers in restaraunts yelled at too. It's just dealing with people and 99% of them are just venting, 1% are just plain pricks. If someone can't deal with dickheads in their day to day life then they shouldn't get into any customer service position.

Yeah, overall the biz has been pretty good to me but that's because I am good to it.

This is one of the only places in town I would consider working at. They treat everyone great and pay well. I would actually take my car here. I understand the hours are the norm.

In reply to Conquest351:

Thanks man, I will definitely keep that in mind.

I have friend who did that job for two years. He went to the hospital with chest pains and didn't usually sleep on sunday nights. Most wound up guy I ever met. In the nick of time he was promoted to service manager which is marginally better by the sounds of it.

HiTempguy wrote:

bigdaddylee82 wrote: In reply to OHSCrifle: It varies but most shops the techs are FLAT RATE, i.e. they only get paid for the hours they turn on the vehicles they work on. So if there's not a car in their bay, they ain't getting paid. - Lee

Interesting, most techs I know are "flat rate", but they get paid a specific amount of $$$ to do a job. If the job is under the amount of time the manufacturer says it takes, they technically earn more $/h so they can move onto other jobs. I find it funny that people don't realize this... auto techs make good money if they work hard.

You're assuming there are hours to be flagged. I can work my ass off for two hours, make 4, then stand around for the next 6 hours getting paid $0. We only get paid for what we flag, so if a SW gives away work for free or less than book time, we eat E36 M3.

I specialize in European cars, so there is no need to sell stuff that a car doesn't need, the trick is getting customers to actually maintain their car. Most people can only afford the payment on their cool BMW badge, but can't afford scheduled maintenance, let alone all the things that constantly break.

The auto repair industry is down 70% across the country. That's a big hit on the paycheck. I can see where some techs would make questionable judgements on selling repairs. Gives the rest of us a bad name

But yes, the service writer is always the bad guy. The customer hates you because you take all their money and the techs hate you because you aren't selling enough work. I have no interest in moving into the office at my shop.

bearmtnmartin wrote: I have friend who did that job for two years. He went to the hospital with chest pains and didn't usually sleep on sunday nights. Most wound up guy I ever met. In the nick of time he was promoted to service manager which is marginally better by the sounds of it.

I made that jump a few years back and jumped right the hell back out. I will never be a service manager ever again; I will dig ditches and shovel E36 M3 first.

In the dealership end of things, if it's causing chest pains etc it's because of 3 things: 1) taking stuff personally, 2) not developing a thick skin and 3) not doing the job right. That last constitutes taking charge of the situation. If someone is not willing to grow a thick skin and a pair of balls then it's time to move on to something else.

I've been offered service writer positions before. I'm a DAMN good salesman, I know how to work people, and I like cars. I still won't do it, because I hate customer service. Just because I can do it well doesn't mean I like it, ya know? YMMV.

I have done customer service before and didnt mind it. The only thing that I don't like is the hours. I think I can make this work though. I get a base pay and should be making pretty solid money with commission and working with fun people.

Cone_Junkie wrote: so if a SW gives away work for free or less than book time, we eat E36 M3.

Why would you work for free? That makes no sense. It's the SW's (and therefore, the dealership/shops) problem that they aren't charging full price, not the mechanics.

I think it comes down to some people are content to take it from the bossman. I've never met a mechanic who doesn't earn good money, or drive a nicer car than I do. So waaaaadunno!

I say go for it and good luck. Sounds like you've got some pretty solid mentors in this community to bounce questions off of too!

Me, I look at it this way: if my techs don't make money I don't make money. But I also have ~zero~ control over what comes in the front door or what the bigga bigga boss decides to give away. I'm glad that at least the motoring public has finally discovered and accepted (albeit grudgingly) that diagnosis ain't free.

There's still those 1 or 2 a month who get pissed because 'I don't want to pay to have my car diagnosed because once I know what it is I'm sure I can find someone to do it cheaper'. Aaaaand... that's exactly why we have a diagnosis charge.

In reply to HiTempguy: Because if you refuse work they either get rid of you or cut off your work. So sometimes you get stuck doing free E36 M3.

Curmudgeon wrote: Me, I look at it this way: if my techs don't make money I don't make money. But I also have ~zero~ control over what comes in the front door or what the bigga bigga boss decides to give away. I'm glad that at least the motoring public has finally discovered and accepted (albeit grudgingly) that diagnosis ain't free. There's still those 1 or 2 a month who get pissed because 'I don't want to pay to have my car diagnosed because once I know what it is I'm sure I can find someone to do it cheaper'. Aaaaand... that's exactly why we have a diagnosis charge.

Yes lawd!

Had a customer yesterday who blew his engine up due to lack of oil. Wanted it warranty. 1,000 miles out of powertrain. No maintenance records. Ford said, "No!" Customer paid 1.0 hrs diag, as is the standard and as was approved by him at the time of dropping off the truck. His comment, "Kinda expensive for a 'No' ain't it?" Welp, we didn't break it!